By Hochberg H.R. No. 59
76R535 JTR-F
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The entire Houston community recently honored Joe
1-2 Samuels along with his wife of 55 years, Jeanne, for their 25 years
1-3 of ownership/publishing of the Jewish Herald Voice, a 98-year
1-4 continuous tradition of journalism excellence; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Joe Samuels's desire to bring the Jewish Sports Hall
1-6 of Fame to Houston was evident when the Jewish Herald Voice's
1-7 sports editor, the late Jerry Ribnick, suggested it way back in
1-8 1992, since the idea brought back a flood of fond memories of his
1-9 boyhood when Joe's father, a semipro baseball player in Houston,
1-10 would play catch with him; and
1-11 WHEREAS, Following the untimely death of Joe's father at age
1-12 38, he and his sister, Grace, and brother, Pat, went to live in the
1-13 Jewish Children's Home in New Orleans, and Joe became a
1-14 three-sports letterman--basketball, track, and football--and would
1-15 have been a fine basketball player; however, he was "thrown off"
1-16 the roundball team due to the continuous fouling of the star
1-17 basketball team player during practice; and
1-18 WHEREAS, In Samuels's favorite sport, track, he excelled in
1-19 the high jump since he used a new and fluid technique called the
1-20 Western Roll, and although he was on the school's winning relay
1-21 team, he took second place during one track meet in the pole
1-22 vault--a competition he WAS NOT supposed to be a part of; and
1-23 WHEREAS, Since his love of track and his sports career at the
1-24 elite Isidore Newman School High School in New Orleans were made
2-1 known to his children, they gave him a beautiful NEW discus as a
2-2 gift one Father's Day; and
2-3 WHEREAS, Following his graduation from Newman, Samuels
2-4 returned to Houston, where he produced a radio show on KTRH (which
2-5 bucked the Bob Hope Show), and he began his college education and
2-6 continued his love of sports by playing baseball on the famous BIC
2-7 Club; and
2-8 WHEREAS, The publisher of the Jewish Herald Voice served with
2-9 distinction overseas during World War II as an officer in the Army
2-10 Air Force; and
2-11 WHEREAS, Joe Samuels, following the Big War, came home to
2-12 experience the joys of fatherhood and was less of a sports
2-13 participant and more of a Little League spectator for his
2-14 children's sports involvement, as well as being a Little League
2-15 umpire while occasionally playing on the Civic Club baseball team,
2-16 which brings memories of one baseball game that found the former
2-17 high school letterman stretching a home run into a SINGLE BASE HIT;
2-18 and
2-19 WHEREAS, Joe Samuels, his lovely wife, Jeanne, and daughter,
2-20 Vicki, the rest of the family, and the staff of the Jewish Herald
2-21 Voice have received many outstanding awards, not only for the
2-22 exceptional product they produce weekly, but for their unselfish
2-23 assistance to the organizations, associations, congregations, and
2-24 community events that make Houston great and cause other media
2-25 "players" to use Joe Samuels as a role model in his professional
2-26 achievements; and
2-27 WHEREAS, Now this sportsman finds his "Field of Dreams" in
3-1 the rush of exhilaration once felt by crossing the finish line
3-2 first or putting another point on the scoreboard by the labor of
3-3 love he receives by helping make the Houston Jewish community a
3-4 "team of players" working together for the betterment of the Jewish
3-5 people, not only in Houston, but across the country; now,
3-6 therefore, be it
3-7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
3-8 Legislature hereby honor Joe Samuels for his many accomplishments
3-9 on and off the sports field and that he be extended sincere best
3-10 wishes for continued success and happiness in the years to come;
3-11 and, be it further
3-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-13 prepared for Mr. Samuels as an expression of high regard by the
3-14 Texas House of Representatives.